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The perfect primrose hill park workout

simply fitnessLondon

Article by Ali Hussain, BSc Exercise Science and Health & Master Personal Trainer August 2010

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Start with a 5-10 minute warm up jog



The perfect Primrose Hill workout August 2010

Triceps dips1. Sit on a bench or chair.

2. Begin with the hands next to or slightly under the hips.

3. Lift up onto the hands and bring the hips forward.

4. Bend the elbows (no lower than 90 degrees) and lower the hips down, keeping them very close to the chair. Keep the shoulders down.

5. Push back up without locking the elbows and repeat for 10-16 reps.




Leg raises1. Lie flat on your back with your hands palms-down underneath your glutes to cradle your pelvis during the movement.

2. Your upper back, arms, and hands will be all that is in contact with the floor throughout the exercise.

3. Keeping your legs stiff and straight, raise them up off the floor until vertical.

4. Thrust your legs upward as though trying to put footprints on the ceiling.

5. Keep your legs stiff and straight throughout the movement.




Press ups jumps1. Adopt a position on the floor with your hands at shoulder level and slightly wider than your body

2. Bend your elbows and go down so that your chest ALMOST comes into contact with the ground

3. Stand up and jump to touch the top of the bar, then come down in to a press up position

4. Pause briefly, then attempt to straighten your arms and finish back at the start position

5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Once you can perform 30 + nonstop, try out the jump press up




Narrow chin-ups1. Set yourself below the bar you intend to use to pull your body up. Some gyms have “assisted” machines that allow you to set a counterweight to make it easier to perform this exercise.

2. A standard pull up bar will usually be at a height that requires you to jump up and grasp the bar. Do this, choosing either the overhand pull up grip or the underhand chin up grip

3. If you prefer the assisted equipment, position your hands on the grips of the assisted machine after setting an appropriate counterweight.

4. You are now ready to do the exercise. In fact, what you would normally do is grasp the bar and immediately move into the upward phase of the exercise and down again.




Pull ups1. Grab the pull up bar with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width.

2. Allow your body to hang freely from the pull up bar with your arms fully extended.

3. Using your lats, pull yourself straight up as far as you can so that your chin reaches the height of the bar or above it.

4. Lower yourself back to the starting position (arms fully extended).




Hanging knee raises1. Step up on a low stool or jump to grasp a high bar so that your body hangs freely without your feet touching the floor.

2. Grasp the bar with a wide, pronated (palms-away) grip. Hang with your arms fully extended and a slight arch in your lower back.

3. Inhale and hold your breath as you bend your legs to a 90-degree angle or less in your knees and raise your thighs as high as possible by contracting your abdominal and hip-flexor muscles.

4. For greater effectiveness, raise your knees above the thighs-level position with a momentary hold at the top.

5. Exhale before lowering your legs to the initial position under control. Pause momentarily and then repeat.




Leg extensions1. Find a step of approximately 10 - 16 inches high. Grasp two moderately weighted dumbbells and stand in front of the step · Step up on the step with first one foot, then the other. As your back foot is lifted, your body weight is placed onto the front foot

2. Pause briefly. Reverse the movement (step back with the lead foot)

3. Repeat the exercise stepping again with the same foot first OR work each leg simultaneously






Abdominal lifts1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your legs straight down.

2. Raise your legs by bringing your knees up toward your chest, but only until even with your waist.

3. Focus on having the movement be slow and controlled and concentrate on using your abs to bring your legs up.

4. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Abdominal curls1. Keeping your torso straight and stiff, start the sit-up by tightening your lower abs.

2. As you continue up, imagine trying to push your face up against the ceiling (think up, not around).

3. When you reach about 25 to 30 degrees above horizontal, hold for a second and squeeze hard.

4. Keep your back in contact with the towel at all times and always maintain tension in the abs.

5. Lower yourself down slowly and under control. Do not just drop back to the groun. The negative portion of the crunch is extremely effective.






Split jumps1. Begin in semi-squat position, with arms at sides

2. Jump upward swinging both arms up and out

3. As legs straighten, lift and spread them parallel to the floor in a split position

4. At same time, while in the air, bend body at waist with arms extended outward trying to touch your toes

5. Repeat rapidly with not hesitation between jumps

6. Each jump is one repetition

Bicep raises1. The monkey bars can provide an excellent place for children and adults to strengthen their arm muscles and back muscles with pull-ups. The placement of the hands will determine which muscles you work.

2. Chin-Ups are generally done by placing the hands forward (palms away from you) on one bar and pulling up till your chin passes the bar or touches the bar.

3. Pull-Ups can be done two different ways. The first is to place your palms towards your face on one bar and pull up until your chin reaches or passes the bar.






Holding press up1. Start by lying face down on the ground or use an exercise mat. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.

2. Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms

3. Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground.

4. The Core - Abdominals, Hips, Back

5. Hold this position *focusing on tightening your abs* until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge. For beginners, start with 10 seconds

6. Return to start position.

Abdominal extensions1. Lie on your back, legs straight out, hands at your sides.

2. Lift your legs straight up (not bending your knees at all) until they’re at a 90 degree angle (or close).

3. Lower your legs and repeat without letting your legs touch the floor.

4. For more challenge there is equipment at most gyms that will allow you to raise yourself up using your arms as support and dangle your legs.

5. If you’re using this piece of equipment, you can make it easier by just raising your knees to your chest




Abdominal cycle1. Lie on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.

2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.

3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, taking the left elbow towards the right knee.

4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.

5. Continue alternating sides in a ‘pedaling’ motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.




Hyperextension1. Lie down on a mat or carpet with your stomach to the floor, keep your arms and hands flat at your sides and legs extended like in a standing position, but lying down.

2. Slowly raise yourself up from your torso (using your lower back muscles) as far as you can go but do not over-extend yourself (basically at a 45 degree angle). Now slowly lower yourself back to the floor in the same manner.

3. Don’t forget to breathe. Inhale as you raise yourself, exhale as you lower ourself.

4. Do about 2 slow sets of 12-16 reps, 2 to 3 times per week.



End of work out - always do warm down stretching



Oblique curls1. Lie on the bench, positioning it under the lower back.

2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.

3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.

4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., the ball shouldn’t roll).

5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Chin ups1. Set yourself below the bar you intend to use to pull your body up. Some gyms have “assisted” machines that allow you to set a counterweight to make it easier to perform this exercise.

2. A standard pull up bar will usually be at a height that requires you to jump up and grasp the bar. Do this, choosing either the overhand pull up grip or the underhand chin up grip

3. If you prefer the assisted equipment, position your hands on the grips of the assisted machine after setting an appropriate counterweight.

4. You are now ready to do the exercise. In fact, what you would normally do is grasp the bar and immediately move into the upward phase of the exercise and down again.

article by , bsc exercise science and health & master ... · up and grasp the bar. do this,...

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